


A Favor Asked

by capt_eli



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Gen, Genderqueer Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-17
Updated: 2015-01-17
Packaged: 2018-03-07 22:06:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3184925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capt_eli/pseuds/capt_eli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’ve been opening and closing your mouth for about a minute. Either you’re pretending to be a fish or you want to say something.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Favor Asked

**Author's Note:**

> Agender Basch is my jam, fight me.  
> Takes place when they were but wee trainees.

“What?”

Basch startled. Vossler was watching him with a serious expression, just visible by the moonlight. Basch liked having nightwatch with Vossler. Hardly anything ever happened, but it was a part of training and if he got to spend it with his friend, he didn’t mind at all. In fact, he thought it would be an opportune time to bring up what had been on his mind, but now he was having trouble finding the words. “What?” he parroted lamely.

Vossler smiled, just a little bit, and raised one eyebrow. “You’ve been opening and closing your mouth for about a minute. Either you’re pretending to be a fish or you want to say something.”

“Oh.” Basch wanted to laugh but his chest was still tight. Stupid, he thought, since Vossler was his closest friend. It shouldn’t be hard. “I—It’s nothing.”

“No, it’s something. You’ve been quieter than usual all night.” Vossler squeezed his friend’s shoulder and smiled reassuringly. “Whatever it is, you know I’ll listen.”

Basch nodded. He didn’t say anything, trying to think of how best to word it. Vossler didn’t push him to speak. Basch was grateful for that. Eventually, he began. “When you talk about me to other people—“

“Did I offend you?”

Basch looked at his friend, surprised by the interruption. “What?”

“Sorry,” Vossler said. “If I said something that offended you, I never meant to.”

Basch waved his hand and laughed. “No, no, that’s not it!” Vossler looked relieved and laughed with him. Now or never, Bash thought. “It’s just—Can you call me ‘they’?” he blurted.

Vossler’s eyebrows creased but he was still smiling. “What do you mean?”

“When you talk about me. Instead of ‘he’,” Basch clarified. His chest still felt a bit tight, but it was easier after he got started. “I don’t feel like I should be called ‘he’.”

Vossler wasn’t smiling anymore, but he didn’t look angry or any of the things Basch had worried about. He just looked confused. “You’re a man, aren’t you?”

Basch grimaced.

“Or not?” Vossler offered. “I mean I—I can call you whatever you want me to.” He looked at his friend carefully. “You’re still Basch. Nothing’s changed, right?”

“Of course not!” Basch said quickly. “Just that one thing.”

“Good!” Vossler slung his arm around Basch’s neck and pulled them close. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

Basch laughed and tried to push Vossler’s arm off. “Yeah, you’re just a sucker like that.” Vossler squeezed them tighter.

“A sucker, huh?”

“Alright, alright, I take it back!”


End file.
